We argued merits of crossbow versus compound 11 years ago.... beat that horse to death..literally.

It is what it is.... if you don't like'em... don't use'em... its simple as that.

Which honestly... most aren't going divert from the equipment they use now. But as in your case or better said your sons..... maybe it will give them a better option and put them back in the woods when they have an opportunity.

Click to expand...

People were sayongbin that debate 11 years ago that our deer herd would be decimated by the crossbow.
Syrader was against crossbow expansion back then

Honestly back then...... the crossbow expansion just got caught in the crossfire of a bigger issue. Being the majority opposed it simply because of their displeasure with KDF&WR’s ....from Bennett to Gasset ... bunch of the commissioners, scandals...corruption.. lack of transparency ...LKS... take your pick. It was a culmination of things and anything proposed by KDF&WR’s was going to meet opposition and put under a public microscope for scrutiny.

Crossbow expansion was the unfortunate subject that simply put fuel on the already raging fire.

To me it’s time to move on...let’s be open minded and fix what needs to be fixed.

It has been a long time and I think computers were only in use by the government and universities so I'm speaking about several decades because websites really did not exist then. I remember hearing the same arguments about longbows/recurves and compound bows. One group thought that the new compound bow gave people an unfair advantage over long/recurve bows because the compound was easier to draw and hold the draw. Same argument just a different decade, forget the argument BS and get with the more important stuff and enjoy the hunting. Soon enough you will be so old that hunting is no longer as important or as enjoyable as it is now. I been there and am there.

I love the Xbox Compound "conversations". FL has been Xbow legal during arch for a couple seasons now. Plenty of friends now run Xbows. I got two things to say about them. #1 They are insanely easier to be accurate with then a Compound. I have two friends that both shoot professionally. I challenged them to a contest they had to give me a week to practice with my neighbors Xbow then we were gonna shoot a contest out. 20 arrows out to 140 yards. I got to shoot off a rest they could shoot any way they were comfortable. I won by 28 points with one week of practice. So to say an Xbow isn't easier to master then a compound is foolish. Where I love the fact that Xbows are now allowed in FL during arch is point #2. They are more accurate with less practice. I have a large group of hunting buddies from all walks of life and all age and genders. I am going to guess and say 50% hunt archery. A lot of them still use a compound, but a bunch have switched to Xbows for the simple reason they don't have to practice much. Where this is great is that I have seen a noticable drop in hits without recovery. We all complained in the beginning too many deer would be harvested and the numbers in my group have went up, but the amount of bad hits has went WAY down. I am not gonna say I haven't had to help track a bad shot deer from an xbow, but not nearly as many from that group of hunters. I love them for that simple fact more deer die and are recovered then when hunters don't take the time to maintain their proficiency with compound or traditional equipment. And I just thought of this one. We have a lot more wives and kids that are hunting Arch season now then before.

I've had one since Fall 08 and take it pretty much every chance I get. Had one with my ML in the woods today. They are easier to master, less movement, that much is true. I'm not doubting what you're saying about the 140 yd contest but as a person who has shot both, if I were to attempt an a shot on an animal at let's say 70 yds (which I won't), I'd pick a compound over an Xbow everytime. Maybe the Xbow is more accurate but it will lose way more energy at long distances that a fast shooting compound. Another thing I always remind people of is that there are no second shots with a Xbow (at least they are rare). You can often get a second bow shot. Lastly, if you do miss with your Xbow, you'll miss bad. Very rarely do you tip a limb and get a "bad hit", you tip a limb with an Xbow and usually you don't hit anywhere near your target. Now we can argue all the points anyone has made on here but I still bet there won't be an expansion and the seasons will be much like this year. The new bows aren't hard to master either with all the fancy equipment we got these days. Watched a 15 year old kid shoot an Obsession at 100 yds last fall put every arrow in a circle about the size of a pie plate. I was so impressed I starting talking to him only to find out he'd only been shooting a bow for about a year. He asked me if I wanted to shoot it and I was like, "Heck kid I can't even see that far!"

I still and have always said archery and Xbow seasons should run together as one. With no disrespect to bow hunters, as I was one and would still be one if my shoulders would allow me to. While the Xbow does have some advantages over the compound bow the compound bow does have advantages over the Xbow , try off hand with a Xbow , a follow up shot is not even a thought and carry through the woods is no easy task either. On the harvest side, if you check harvest records of the two, you will find Xbow amounts to only 3% of the harvest while 14% to compound bow to date according to telecheck for 2016-2017 season. So why not run them together, give folks more time to hunt and enjoy the outdoors . Lets give up beating a dead horse and just be friends!

I've had one since Fall 08 and take it pretty much every chance I get. Had one with my ML in the woods today. They are easier to master, less movement, that much is true. I'm not doubting what you're saying about the 140 yd contest but as a person who has shot both, if I were to attempt an a shot on an animal at let's say 70 yds (which I won't), I'd pick a compound over an Xbow everytime. Maybe the Xbow is more accurate but it will lose way more energy at long distances that a fast shooting compound. Another thing I always remind people of is that there are no second shots with a Xbow (at least they are rare). You can often get a second bow shot. Lastly, if you do miss with your Xbow, you'll miss bad. Very rarely do you tip a limb and get a "bad hit", you tip a limb with an Xbow and usually you don't hit anywhere near your target. Now we can argue all the points anyone has made on here but I still bet there won't be an expansion and the seasons will be much like this year. The new bows aren't hard to master either with all the fancy equipment we got these days. Watched a 15 year old kid shoot an Obsession at 100 yds last fall put every arrow in a circle about the size of a pie plate. I was so impressed I starting talking to him only to find out he'd only been shooting a bow for about a year. He asked me if I wanted to shoot it and I was like, "Heck kid I can't even see that far!"

Click to expand...

I prob should add my neighbors xbow I was shooting is not your typical $300 centerpoint or whatever you can get from name your box store. It's a Mission and I'm thinking he has somewhere around $1200 into it. 100 yard groups are fairly easy to gather in the ten ring. The company claims it shoot sub 1" groups at 100 yards, but I've not got it to do that good. But their is no way I would shoot an animal at that distance even with it shooting 375fps across the chrono. With my compound myself imposed limit is 40 yards at that has to be perfect conditions. If I was to guess I would say 50-60 yards would be the max for an animal in perfect conditions, but even then that is a lot of time between shot and impact. I definitely agree if you tip a limb with an xbow the arrow is going to hit WAY off. I'm not stating an xbow is better for hunting or worse only that it is much easier to pick up and be accurate for anyone with remotely decent shooting skills.

I prob should add my neighbors xbow I was shooting is not your typical $300 centerpoint or whatever you can get from name your box store. It's a Mission and I'm thinking he has somewhere around $1200 into it. 100 yard groups are fairly easy to gather in the ten ring. The company claims it shoot sub 1" groups at 100 yards, but I've not got it to do that good. But their is no way I would shoot an animal at that distance even with it shooting 375fps across the chrono. With my compound myself imposed limit is 40 yards at that has to be perfect conditions. If I was to guess I would say 50-60 yards would be the max for an animal in perfect conditions, but even then that is a lot of time between shot and impact. I definitely agree if you tip a limb with an xbow the arrow is going to hit WAY off. I'm not stating an xbow is better for hunting or worse only that it is much easier to pick up and be accurate for anyone with remotely decent shooting skills.

Click to expand...

I have Parker Cyclone. Not worth much now but was high dollar when I bought it. It's my favorite weapon and a killing machine (when the deer comply . I agree it's easier to master; however, if I were a great shot and liked long distance shooting (which I don't even with a gun), I'd choose my two older Mathews bows (Switchback and Monster) any day of the week to kill something at 70 yds, 30 yds in, I pick the Xbow. I'm not a guru but flight of the arrow, kinetic energy, arrow spin, etc... are the reason why. You are right some of the new ones are wicked fast and accurate. I know a guy who shoots a Scorpyd. Too rich for my blood!

That's how it was structured in the compromise agreement between the bowhunting groups, legislators & KDF&WR's in 2006.

The bowhunting groups wanted portions of the season exclusive to bow only.

Which beyond the youth included.... my thoughts have always been to close the gap between October & November. Other words... crossbow season from October 1 until December 31. That few weeks splitting segments that crossbows weren't allowed was designed that way by the bow hunter groups ....to give exclusive bow only to the cruising and chasing prior to modern gun.

The compromise also included changes to the fall turkey limits ...which are still in place as well. Which if you ever read them ( bag limit) you will understand what I'm talking about. They thought crossbows would not only cause demise of our deer herds.... but the turkey populations as well.

Its overdue.... with plenty of ky data recorded spanning 11 years to support it now.

Click to expand...

The fact that this state had to have a compromise agreement with bowhunting groups at all says all you needed to know.

It’s silly. Should be the entire season.

This is the same reason that Ohio gun season opens up on a Monday. Decades ago it was to protect the upper crust legislators who knew they could take off whenever they wanted...keep the riff raff out of the woods.

I love the Xbox Compound "conversations". FL has been Xbow legal during arch for a couple seasons now. Plenty of friends now run Xbows. I got two things to say about them. #1 They are insanely easier to be accurate with then a Compound. I have two friends that both shoot professionally. I challenged them to a contest they had to give me a week to practice with my neighbors Xbow then we were gonna shoot a contest out. 20 arrows out to 140 yards. I got to shoot off a rest they could shoot any way they were comfortable. I won by 28 points with one week of practice. So to say an Xbow isn't easier to master then a compound is foolish. Where I love the fact that Xbows are now allowed in FL during arch is point #2. They are more accurate with less practice. I have a large group of hunting buddies from all walks of life and all age and genders. I am going to guess and say 50% hunt archery. A lot of them still use a compound, but a bunch have switched to Xbows for the simple reason they don't have to practice much. Where this is great is that I have seen a noticable drop in hits without recovery. We all complained in the beginning too many deer would be harvested and the numbers in my group have went up, but the amount of bad hits has went WAY down. I am not gonna say I haven't had to help track a bad shot deer from an xbow, but not nearly as many from that group of hunters. I love them for that simple fact more deer die and are recovered then when hunters don't take the time to maintain their proficiency with compound or traditional equipment. And I just thought of this one. We have a lot more wives and kids that are hunting Arch season now then before.

Just in the recent years has my mind changed on Xbows.

Click to expand...

I hunt with it all Rifles,bow,xbow. I had what I call a couple junky xbows for years. Finally few years back bought a good one with a scope. Scope had lines in it for 20,30,40 yds. Got it in the home and went to shoot it. Dang if it wasn’t driving nails out to 40 yds without touching scope. Couldn’t believe out of the box and doing that. No way I have ever done that with a compound bow. For me I can shoot far better and further with my xbow than I can with my compound. I still enjoy my compound better I guess cause the amount of years I’ve hunted with it.

I always loved my compound bow but with shoulder and neck issues I have been using a xbow for awhile now and enjoy just being out with less pain. I practice out to 80 yards but try to keep all shots under 50 yards . But I did have a friend take a cow elk at 80 yards pass threw shot elk walked maybe 10 yards and piled up.He was using a Barnett 400 with a g5 broadhead. We also hunt Ohio which allows xbow all season which has not changed the deer population or trophy potential there. Anyways would like to see crossbow season exspanded to run with Bow season.

Personally I hunt with a crossbow because of medical issues. While I did hunt with a compond bow in the past, the rules have allowed for me to continue to hunt the entire archary season. I do wish they would open it for everyone. For the archary purest out their, I would ask, do you process your own deer meat? I know of several archary hunters that dont know the first thing on butchering, but would try and shame me for using a crossbow. Just my two cents.